The history and practice of Industrial Design in Victoria Australia is my research interest and this blog include posts related to this interest as well as my practice as a designer and design educator.

Saturday, 29 September 2012

Research at the International Tangible Interaction Design Lab (ITIDLab) includes the work of Masters candidate Kai Cheng which sees a comprehensive 3D model of a human heart appear on an ipad using Mixed Reality technology. A 2D graphic marker is placed on a surface and doctor and patient can manipulate the heart model with the iPad as if it were floating above the table surface in the consulting rooms.

Supervisors Jeff Janet and Dr Stephen J. Wang invited me recently to view Kai Cheng's amazing project and ongoing research. The research project is part of the E-Health research scheme in the ITIDLab at Department of Design, MADA, Monash University. This study focuses on exploring the potential to implement MR technology systems into medical practice. Kai is focussed on realising a solution to enhance the efficiency of medical-purposed communications. Based on the proficiency of MR technology, Kai employes an Interaction Design approach, his recent research activities concentrate on 'field study' and 'data analysis', trying to figure out the real users' needs under a typical clinical practice environment.

Mixed Reality provides a capacity for a patient to explore the sections of a heart model with the doctor during consultation on an iPad.

"This is very good example of the undergoing projects in this lab." said supervisor Dr Stephen Wang. "The design approach is the key, the Interaction Design approach. Obviously, the key element to determine is the degree of innovation in such a topic: the behavior! The User's behavior! The designer or researcher understands the capability of the technology and the fact that they have the ability to use the technology is critical here. The beauty of this research is the integration of MR technology with the practical needs in the hospital. Industrial designers are always equipped with specific material & engineering related knowledge in a design project. This research is expanding the comprehensive knowledge structure for interaction design. Of course, Kai contributes as a designer, an Interaction Designer."

My collection of products designed in Victoria continues to grow and this week it is the Quartic canisters designed by Lionel Suttie. The addition of a polypropelene lid extend the Quartic range and this is the first example I have seen of the canister range. It is also the first example of the use of the classic letraset font eurostyle Q as a tampo printed graphic.

Australian Capri Quartic canisters designed by industrial designer Lionel Suttie.

Thursday, 27 September 2012

Rowan Turnham exhibited his ‘Threaded Out Table’ at the 2012 Fringe Furniture Exhibition as part of The Melbourne Fringe Festival. Rowan is a graduate of RMIT Furniture and is currently in my Studio 2 class at Monash University industrial design.

Monday, 24 September 2012

Grand Designs Live Melbourne provided an opportunity for The James Dyson Award winner Ed Linacre to share the stage with the awards founder James Dyson, even if only in a virtual form. The Dyson stand at Grand Designs Live Melbourne was a major feature of the event and with Ed present as an exhibitor with Melbourne Movement we took the opportunity to capture this image.

Ed Linacre is a graduate of Swinburne University industrial design and a GOTYA award winner from the Design Institute of Australia.

The two Weave Pendant lamps by Ed Linacre were a huge hit at Grand Designs Live Melbourne and a feature of the Melbourne Movement stand. The visual impact of the lamps inspired event organisers to chose an image of the lamps as the Facebook wrap for the entire event. Congratulations Ed.

Thursday, 20 September 2012

Grand Designs Live has arrived in Melbourne and Melbourne Movement are proud to have been invited to exhibit local creative design talent.

The exhibition has been curated by director Ian Wong and features works from designers including Tate Anson, Dusko Lapcevic, Jasna Manolios, Adam Cornish, Edward Linacre and founder and President Kjell Grant.

Melbourne Movement director Ian Wong and President Kjell Grant pictured with the Montreal chair at Grand Designs Live Melbourne.

RMIT Professor Kjell Grant celebrates the acclaimed Tryst stool from his 4th year studio designed by Tate Anson.

Grand Designs Live Melbourne stand Melbourne Movement.

RMIT University lecturer and Melbourne Movement member Dusko Lapcevic discusses features of his Tribal bench at Grand Designs Live Melbourne.

Dusko Lapcevic discusses features of his IRIS lamps at Grand Designs Live Melbourne.

The iconic Montreal Chair designed by Kjell Grant for Expo67 will feature at Grand Designs Live - Melbourne.

Kjell Grant is the founder of Melbourne Movement and a huge fan of Kevin McCloud and Grand Designs.

Montreal Chair by Kjell Grant

Industrial designer and architect, Kjell Grant, studied under the notable sculptors, Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth, at the Royal College of Art in London, and Mies van der Rohe at the Illinois Institute of Technology. He has developed products for Cartier, Orrefors, Knoll, Rosenthal and Raymond Loewy N.Y (see previous post)

RMIT Adjunct Professor Kjell Grant and his iconic Monreal Chair

Expo 67 Australian Pavilion with the white leather Montreal chairs designed by Kjell Grant.

In 1967, Grant designed the furniture for the Australian Pavilion at the Montreal Exposition in Canada and the ‘Montreal Chairs’ resulting from this project are in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York and the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney. He is currently an Adjunct Professor in the School of Architecture and Design at RMIT University and has inspired hundreds of young Australian designers.

This is a rare opportunity to see this iconic Australian chair on public display.

The James Dyson Award winner and Swinburne University industrial design alumnus Edward Linacre has joined Melbourne Movement and will exhibit at Grand Designs Live this weekend.

Edward will exhibit Weave pendant lamps.

'Weave Pendant Lamps' designed by Edward Linacre

'Weave Pendant Lamps' are the first of a series of lamps born through the amalgamation of traditional craft processes and modern CAD development techniques. Basket weaving was fused with computer surface-modelling to create a complex self supporting 3D woven structure that requires no glues or adhesives to hold its form. The lamps are constructed of 100% recycled timber veneers, reclaimed from the industrial waste bin of a local timber yard.

Dyson Award winner Edward Linacre

The James Dyson Award is an international student design award running in 18 countries. It’s run by the James Dyson Foundation, James Dyson’s charitable trust, as part of its mission to encourage the next generation of design engineers to be creative, challenge and invent.

About Me

Ian Wong is an industrial designer with over twenty five years of professional practice experience. Ian is Program Director - Master of Industrial Design at MADA Monash University. This double masters degree is delivered at the SouthEast University Monash University Joint Graduate School (Suzhou) in China. Ian has worked previously as design manager for Outerspace Design and Silvan Australia, and lectured also at RMIT and Swinburne Universities. Ian is a councilor of the Design Institute of Australia and President of Melbourne Movement.